2025 Feather in Her Cap Award Winner: Laurie Hueneke Martens, BS, MS
Associate Vice President, Public Policy & Government Relations at Merck Animal Health

Laurie Hueneke Martens has nearly two decades of experience advancing public policy, international trade, and sustainability within Animal Health and Agriculture. Since joining Merck Animal Health a decade ago, Hueneke Martens has built and led the company’s Public Policy and Government Relations function, chairing the Trade Committee at Animal Health Institute (AHI), the Leadership Team at HealthforAnimals and was recently appointed to the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee (ATAC) for Trade in Animals and Animal Products by U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative. She has led her team to remove access barriers to products for customers, enhanced regulatory predictability and transparency, addressed global supply chain barriers and worked with the industry to achieve ‘essential’ designation for Animal Health products during the pandemic. She is passionate about mentoring young women, expanding their horizons, and inspiring future leaders.

As part of her recognition, Hueneke Martens selected two charities to share a $5,000 donation: the Bellevue Iowa FFA chapter and the Jackson County Iowa Humane Society.

2025 High Flyer Award Winner: Chelsie Estey, MSc, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology)
Vice President US Pet Care, Parnell

Chelsie Estey transitioned from private practice to the Animal Health industry, where she achieved rapid success at Parnell, launching three prescription products in her first year and building the US Pet Care business. With a commitment to mentorship, Estey credits her mentors for shaping her journey and is passionate about supporting the next generation of Animal Health professionals.

2025 Entrepreneurial Spirit Award Winner: Eve Hanks, BVM&S CertAVP (EM) PhD MRCVS CEO, MI:RNA Ltd

As CEO of MI:RNA Ltd, Eve Hanks leads the first company in veterinary medicine focused on microRNA technology using research Eve conducted for her PhD at Scotland’s Rural College, SRUC. Under her leadership, MI:RNA has become a multi-award-winning company bringing innovation to the veterinary diagnostics market by focusing on early disease diagnosis, prognosis and response to treatment using microRNAs (miRNAs) and artificial intelligence (AI). In addition to leading the company from the ground up, including responsibility for strategy, investment and fundraising, Hanks has been recognized with the Impact Award 2024 by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) for mentoring other founders in Animal Health to support the growth of innovation and to encourage diversity and inclusion in entrepreneurship.

In Memoriam
In addition to the award winners, the Feather in Her Cap Association posthumously honored Kathy Gloyd, BS, DVM, for her career contributing to the advancement of the Animal Health industry. Gloyd passed away in October 2024. She worked in private practice and at Hills before founding Gloyd Group with her husband, Joe. The company later became Elevate DVM, Inc., and served various industrial, academic, and professional organizations related to veterinary medicine. Gloyd co-wrote the first criteria for RACE regulations for approval of CE programs accepted by state boards of Veterinary Medicine, was instrumental in founding and served as the first director of the Companion Animal Parasitic Council (CAPC), was the Executive Director of the American Heartworm Society, (AHS). She leaves a long legacy of positive impact on the Animal Health and Veterinary industries.

About The Feather in Her Cap Award
The award was established in 2017 to honor women who have made outstanding contributions in animal health through scientific, industrial, or commercial excellence and by demonstrating commitment to mentoring women. In addition to Andrea Gonzales, the award winner, nominees included:

• Tara Bidgood, DVM, PhD, DACVCP, CCFP – VP, Head, Petcare Veterinary Professional Services and Medical Affairs at Zoetis
• Kristin Bloink, PA-C, MPH, DVM, DACVPM – Vice President, Global Regulatory Affairs and
• Pharmacovigilance, Elanco and Chairperson, Elanco Foundation at Elanco
• Siobhan Marie Averall-Davies, BVetMed – Senior Director, Pharmacovigilance at Elanco
• Joanne Maki, BS, DVM, MS, PhD – Sr. Veterinarian, Public Health at Boehringer Ingelheim
• Jill Stohs, BS, DVM – Senior Director, Veterinary Professional Services and Medical Affairs at Dechra
• Kathy Vannatta, BS, MBA – Senior Vice President, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs at Phibro
• Maria Elena Vazquez Sandoval – Director of Quality at Ceva
• Nicole Westfall, MBA – Senior Vice President, Marketing at Zomedica

About The High Flyer Award
The award was established in 2022 to honor a mid-career professional woman with 4-10 years in the animal health industry who has achieved at least one major accomplishment, and demonstrates a working relationship with a mentor in the industry. In addition to Katharina Bohnenblust, the award winner, nominees included:

• Nominees for the 2025 High Flyer Award included:
  Jennifer Gagner, PhD – Director, Discovery & Tech Futures at IDEXX
• Laura Griffith, BS – Manager, Innovation Center at Phibro
• Sarah Kvidera, BS, PhD – Dairy Sustainability Technical Lead at Elanco
• Alyssa Mags, BS, CVT, FVTE – Co-Founder & Chief Visionary Officer for Empowering Veterinary Teams and Co-Founder & Director of Veterinary Team Strategy for Nutur
• Chitra Varma, BS – Head of Data Platforms at Zoetis

• Celine Halioua, BSc – CEO and Founder of Loyal
• Kerryann Kocher, BS – CEO of Vytelle
• Christina Kelly Lopes, BA, MA – CEO of FidoCure
• Cara Wells, BS, PhD – CEO of EmGenisys

About Feather in Her Cap Association, Inc.
 is a New York non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. For information please visit www.featherinhercap.org.

Media Contact:
Julie Lawless
Lawless Strategic Communications
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